MELAKA: A RM1.8bil modern shipyard to be developed here in collaboration with Turkiye will be named after Panglima Awang, also known as “Enrique de Malacca”, the famed navigator believed to have circumnavigated the globe in the 1500s. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said he had lobbied for the shipyard to be named after the famed “Melaka boy”. Ab Rauf said the state has strengthened its position as a regional maritime hub following an official visit to Desan Shipyard in Istanbul to finalise a strategic collaboration for the Enrique of Malacca Shipyard project. He said the modern shipyard will be developed within the Straits of Malacca Waterfront Economic Zone (SM-WEZ). Inspired by Panglima Awang, he said the shipyard will blend maritime heritage with modern shipbuilding technology.

Source: The Star January 09, 2026 15:24 UTC